The classic taupe chino is a style staple favoured by men from all walks of life, and the sandy colour - which offers clues to the garment's military origins - has become a recognisable sight all around the world.

But to focus on that one colour, however classic, is to miss the big picture. The chino has been subject over the years to dyes of a bewildering variety of colours. Some, it has to be said, have been a little on the loud side. In vacation destinations along the northeastern seaboard of the US, where the preppy look rules supreme, colours such as "Nantucket red" - a bright vermilion found on chinos sold on the island under the slogan, "guaranteed to fade" - are not uncommon.

That doesn't mean, of course, that all coloured chinos are required to be so, well... colourful. Thanks to a growing number of designers embracing the style and producing versions appropriate for wearing outside of the cloistered environments of elite universities and sailing communities, the coloured chino has increasingly found popular acceptance. This is, naturally, a good thing. The chino has long been one of the most versatile items of clothing that a man can own: relaxed yet elegant, classic yet contemporary, it's the perfect vehicle for making the world that little bit more colourful.

Click through the gallery, above, to see seven of our current favourites.